Bond's Pea Coat

It started out as something of a covert mission. Around this time last year, the folks at Billy Reid were contacted by their PR agency to send a pea coat from their Fall 2011 collection to a mysterious studio in London. A few days later, the production company behind the latest James Bond flick, Skyfall, called and placed a rush order for 19 of the coats. Why so many? It turns out Daniel Craig wears the trim, peak lapel pea coat as Bond throughout the film, dodging bombs and bullets, so a handful of back-ups were in order. "Daniel had actually purchased a pea coat from our New York shop a few years ago and when the movie began shooting, he wanted to use it," says Reid. "So we were thrilled, of course—we're all huge Bond fans and honored to be a small part of it."

Daniel Craig loved the version he wore in the film so much he ordered one for himself as well.

But the story doesn't end there. Cut to a month ago, when Bond fever started hitting the web and fans of the franchise started pouring over the trailer and leaked photos. Someone discovered that Bond's pea coat was made by Billy Reid and the brand's Alabama headquarters started fielding requests for a remake of the coat. The design team was able to source the same navy wool and natural horn buttons, and a limited run was made at the same factory in Italy where the original was crafted. The initial run of 150 jackets sold out in just a few days, so they went back for the last of the wool for one more final run, available for pre-order now. A modern take on a timeless staple, the Bond pea coat is expected to ship on November 9—the very day that Skyfall hits US theaters.